evidence acquisition elevated serum leptin levels are regarded as an established marker of obesity. it is also reported that obese asthmatic patients have maximum serum leptin levels compared to other groups such as non-obese asthmatics, and normal obese and non obese subjects without asthma. in addition to having an appetite suppressing effect, leptin also regulates certain acute-phase protein...

UNLABELLED ESSENTIALS: Neutrophil elastase (NE) plays a role in extracellular trap formation (NETosis) triggered by microbes. The contribution of NE was evaluated in mouse NETosis models of sterile inflammation and thrombosis. NE is not required for mouse neutrophil NET production in vitro with non-infectious stimuli. NE deficiency had no significant effect on thrombosis in the inferior vena ca...

Neutrophil-predominant airway inflammation and mucus obstruction of the airways are major pathologic features of chronic airway diseases, including cystic fibrosis and chronic bronchitis. Neutrophils release elastase, a serine protease that impairs mucociliary clearance and stimulates goblet cell metaplasia and mucin production. We previously reported that neutrophil elastase increases expressi...

Severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) is characterised by a differentiation block in the bone marrow and low neutrophil numbers in the peripheral blood, which correlates with increased risk of bacterial infections. Several underlying gene defects have been identified in SCN patients. Mutations in the neutrophil elastase (ELANE) gene are frequently found in SCN and cyclic neutropenia. Both misloca...

Neutrophil elastase (NE) activity is increased in lung diseases such as alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency and pneumonia. We have recently demonstrated that NE can induce expression of cathepsin B and MMP 2 in vitro and in a mouse model. We postulated that increased Cathepsin B and MMP-2 in acute and chronic lung diseases are due to the presence of high levels of extracellular NE and that ex...

OBJECTIVES To determine if assaying the neutrophil enzymes, neutrophil elastase (NE) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the urine of men attending a genitourinary medicine clinic could identify those with Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis infections, and those with urethritis (with or without an identified infection with either organism), and to compare the new assays with the performanc...

BACKGROUND Catabolism of the extracellular matrix (ECM) contributes to vascular remodeling in health and disease. Although metalloenzymes and cysteinyl proteinases have garnered much attention in this regard, the role of serine-dependent proteinases in vascular ECM degradation during atherogenesis remains unknown. We recently discovered the presence of the metalloproteinase MMP-8, traditionally...

The potent serine protease, neutrophil elastase (NE), is stored in neutrophil azurophilic granules, where it is available to degrade phagocytosed material and can be released by the cell to assist in tissue migration and help clear tissue debris. While neutrophils carry NE, they cannot produce it; the NE gene is expressed only in bone marrow granulocyte precursor cells. Protection of normal tis...

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) continues to be a major cause of morbidity in premature infants. An imbalance between neutrophil elastase and its inhibitors has been implicated in BPD. Serine protease inhibitor (SERPIN)B1 is an inhibitor of neutrophil proteases, including neutrophil elastase (NE) and cathepsin G (cat G). Recent studies suggest that SERPINB1 could provide protection in the airw...

Neutrophil serine proteases, such as cathepsin G (CG) and neutrophil elastase (NE), have been implicated in the protective response against infections, including experimental mycobacterial infections. The goal of this study was to explore the role of CG in immunocompetent mice challenged aerogenically with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We used genetically CG- or CG/NE-deficient mice to define the...